


raise my walls, tear them down

by Hyeyu



Series: aetate mirum [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - RPG setting, Great Knight!Sawamura, M/M, Shapeshifter!Kuroo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 16:44:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9132727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyeyu/pseuds/Hyeyu
Summary: Hinata squeaks, jumping back as a shadow drops in front of their small band of people, setting off a chain reaction of shoulder twitches, muscle jerks and feet scuffling amongst the other members of their party. Only Sawamura doesn't react, waiting as the cloaked figure straightens up on the dirt path before he calls his greeting."Kuroo. Was wondering how long you were planning to tail us before you popped out."Something's going on in Nekoma's territory, but the head of Nekoma's royal party doesn't seem particularly inclined to fill Sawamura in. [RPG!AU]





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a whump!drabble-scene for my [RPG! AU universe](http://hweiro.tumblr.com/tagged/au%3A-rpg-universe), but clearly, I can't do things by halves, herpderp. Un-betaed; I take full responsibility for all mistakes/errors/cringe-worthy moments you may encounter.
> 
> Technically, this can be read as a standalone, but looking through [these explanations](http://hweiro.tumblr.com/post/154975041639/headcanons-for-haikyuu-rpgau) and [headcanons](http://hweiro.tumblr.com/post/155069629054/even-more-rpgau-headcanons-date-kou-nekoma) will make things a lot easier to understand.
> 
> The [Malboro](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xPXSyvJtb4g/maxresdefault.jpg) is shamelessly borrowed from the Final Fantasy series.
> 
> A tumblr version of this fic can be found [here](http://hweiro.tumblr.com/post/155207690229/raise-my-walls-tear-them-down-haikyuu).

 

Hinata squeaks, jumping back as a shadow drops in front of their small band of people, setting off a chain reaction of shoulder twitches, muscle jerks and feet scuffling amongst the other members of their party. Only Sawamura doesn't react, waiting as the cloaked figure straightens up on the dirt path before he calls his greeting.

"Kuroo. Was wondering how long you were planning to tail us before you popped out."

The leader of Nekoma's royal party grins, a rakish slash in a thin face as he cants a hip. "Damn. And here I was thinking I was doing real well at being sneaky. When did you notice?"

"Why the sudden stalking?" Sawamura counters with his own question, his own lips pulled downwards into a small frown. "And before you start with your speech about being on Nekoma territory, we're barely on the outskirts of your region and clearly not heading towards the capital. I don't think your king would send someone of your caliber to scout along these borders."

"Maybe I was just enjoying a leisurely stroll. Or," Kuroo's eyebrows waggle, "maybe I was stalking _you,_ darling."

Behind him, Hinata's snicker morphs quickly into a pained yell. "Oww, Bakageyama, you stepped on _my foot_ -"

"You idiot."

" _You're_ the idiot!"

Sawamura resists the urge to turn around and smack the two squabblers, even as he stamps down an equally strong need to punch the grinning man in front of him. "Nice try, but not good enough."

"That's not what you said when we were fu-"

" _Kuroo._ "

The grinning facade wavers, reshapes itself into a shrewd expression, one too sharp for Sawamura's liking. "It's nothing Karasuno needs to be concerned about. I just thought I'd hustle you guys along; given the size of your party, it looks like you lot are on a schedule. Likely towards Date Kou, if you're crossing over this part of our territory. Better get a move on before the sun sets."

Perceptive as always. Sawamura's party is indeed on its way to Date Kou to escort Sugawara back to Karasuno after his month-long visit to the mountain region. The grand cleric had been invited to help train Koganegawa and some of their potential clerics in some of the more advanced healing spells; in return, Date Kou had furnished Karasuno with a sizable amount of  their famed mithen alloy. Sawamura is already looking forward to his new shield, which the royal blacksmith had promised would be lighter and more durable in battle.

The escort party is modest in size - six men in total, with only Sawamura, Hinata and Kageyama forming the core fire-power. Arguably, even that was fairly large for a trip as short as this one, but Hinata had been restless, and Sawamura hadn't seen any real problem in allowing him to tag along.

Speaking of, Hinata and Kageyama are already fidgeting, and the other men are clearly inclined to listen to Kuroo's advice and get a move on. Still...Sawamura appraises the shapeshifter, taking in the slight tightness to his features and the too-careful carelessness. There's something Kuroo isn't telling him. He's just not sure what.

Catching Kuroo's elbow, he pulls him closer. "Hey," he whispers, trying not to sound too concerned. "What's wrong?"

The shapeshifter wavers - Sawamura can read him well enough to know that he's re-evaluating something. Then, he sighs, a soft exhale that barely stirs the air between them. "It's nothing you have to worry about. Seriously."

"Sounds like something _you_ have to worry about, which means it's my worry too."

The surprise flits across Kuroo's face too quickly for him to school it into neutrality. Then it melts into an uncharacteristically sweet smile. "I'd kiss you right now, but not in front of the children and all that. I-"

"Kuroo." Kenma is half-hidden by a bush, the hood of his dark robe obscuring his usually bright hair from sight. Another royal party member, apparently scouting along this same perimeter in a task that should be far, far below their rank. The wrinkle in the great knight's brow deepens.

Kuroo sighs, then drops the hand he had started to wrap around Sawamura's waist. "Well, duty calls. I'd ask you to stop by on your return trip, but it's best if you guys head straight back home for now. I'll go visit once we're done here."

"Kuroo - "

I'll tell you about it later, alright?" Already, Kuroo is backing away, nodding a quick apology to Kenma as he ducks in the opposite direction of the white mage. He melts into the scenery quickly enough - after a nod of acknowledgement at Sawamura, Kenma starts moving away as well.

"What was that about?" Kageyama doesn't stomp on Hinata's foot this time around, the mage looking just as curious as the shorter boy. Sawamura sighs.

"I have no idea. But Nekoma's matters are not ours. C'mon, we'd best be on our way."

\---

"I've heard rumors about bandits." Kamasaki rubs at his chin, thoughtful. "Nothing else though. Still, deploying the head of the royal party for a coupl'a scoundrels? Definitely overkill."

"Mmm." Sawamura silently agrees with the paladin's assessment as he takes a bite of his dinner. "Well, Kuroo didn't warn us to take any particular precautions, so whatever it is, it seems like it isn't going to affect our journey back to Karasuno."

"I'd say be on your guard anyway. Ain't no harm in being prepared, just in case." A commotion erupts in the furthest corner of the room, and Kamasaki looks up automatically, a grimace springing into his face. "Oh hell no, are you for real-"

Moniwa dashes by their table, a bucket of water clutched within his arms as he makes a beeline towards the flames that had leapt up, dancing on the table as it merrily consumes what's left of Koganegawa's dinner. Futakuchi's whole-hearted swearing is drowned in the swell of voices clamoring over the sight - Sawamura thinks he can hear Kageyama demanding to know how Koganegawa managed the unexpected flame spell.

"How does he even manage to set _fire_ to things? He's a _cleric,_ not a damn mage, for god's sake." Kamasaki stares at his almost-empty ale mug despairingly, then lifts it to his mouth anyway. "You sure we can't keep Sugawara? We'll compensate for him, cross my heart."

Sawamura laughs. "Not a chance in hell."

\---

Distracted by the opportunities to watch and even join the Date Kou's training regimen for a few days, the uneasy feeling in Sawamura's gut is eventually forgotten by the time the Karasuno party leaves the mountain region for home.

"So," he nudges Sugawara's shoulder companionably as they approach Nekoma's borders. "How was the holiday?"

"What holiday?" The grand cleric shudders instinctively, setting the tiny bells on his robes jingling. "I'm starting to seriously re-evaluate my skills as a instructor. Quite honestly, I'm still not sure if Koganegawa is the most versatile cleric I've ever seen, or actually a mis-classed mage."

Chuckling, Sawamura bumps against his oldest friend again. "Oh, c'mon, it can't have been that bad -"

The beating of wings filled the air, and the sky is suddenly speckled with birds as a high-pitched screech rakes through the quiet of the woods. Hinata clamps his palms to his ears, face contorted into a pained wince that mirrors the ones on the faces of the rest of their party. Sawamura drops his hands almost immediately though - that piercingly shrill cry is the sound a Malboro makes when it is under attack. Wild Malboros aren't native to the forested landscape their party is currently passing through, which can only mean -

_Kuroo._

Sawamura starts running before the name even forms fully in his mind, already drawing his sword and shield in anticipation of a fight. The cry had been loud enough to scatter the birds in their vicinity - wherever the skirmish was, it must be near.

He sees the columns of fire through the trees, veers in that direction. Kuroo shrieks again, enraged and god, why can't Sawamura run _any faster -_

On his left, Taketora lunges out of the foliage, barely sparing Sawamura a glance as he too careens towards where his leader is. Another monk bursts out on his right - Kai this time, also clearly pulled out of scouting. Behind Sawamura, the pounding of footsteps - likely Sugawara's and Kageyama's. Above him, a roar as primal as the Malboro's - Hinata, transformed as the dragon soars towards the fire, nostrils already smoking with the grey fumes of dragon-fire.

They arrive on the scene in time to see Kuroo fall sideways, his great girth slamming into the ground hard. Some of his thrashing tentacles are burning, charred and ashy, and his maw gapes open, its needle-sharp fangs on useless display. Even as Sawamura pushes his thighs to pump harder, _faster_ , Kuroo's many eyes, all blinking rapidly, start to close and the tentacles still, going soft as they drape over the grotesque form.

The fire columns press in on Kuroo - another tentacle bursts into flame and Sawamura curses, distantly hears the sentiment echoed around him in different voices. He can see them now - a group of about fifteen or so mages, all seemingly of the fire specialization as they push their spells closer, penning Kuroo's unconscious form in.

Sawamura wants to plunge his sword into every single one of their throats.

Instead, he runs until he is almost atop Kuroo, then slams his shield into the ground. The familiar feeling of his spirit rippling outwards is almost a relief, his awareness pulsing into a barrier so strong, it practically shoves the columns backwards with its repelling power. He feels their heat where they still graze against the front of the blockade, bares his teeth against them as he holds firm. Green flames drip down the barrier's translucent surface, devouring the columns - Hinata's joined the fray properly now, as have Kai and Taketora. Screams fill the air - of rage, of anger, of power - and a myriad of spells bounce off Sawamura's barrier, off him. He recognizes some of them through feel alone - the waterfall that spills down the left side is clearly Kageyama's, and he thinks he feels the slice of air that accompanies Kenma's spells skimming the surface every now and then.

Only two types of people get to see Kuroo's Malboro form: his friends, or soon-to-be-dead people.

Sawamura doesn't doubt that the mages are doomed.

He has no eyes for the battle outside though. His blood yearns for retaliation, but there isn't time for that. Right now, he has to protect Kuroo at his most vulnerable. So he throws all his strength into maintaining the barrier, unyielding, a wall between the two of them and the rest of the world.

He thinks he calls Kuroo's name, but the Malboro doesn't stir, limp and still beside him. He needs help, he needs -

Someone yells his name, fists banging against the barrier - Sugawara, and Nekoma's grand cleric right beside him, at the back of the dome. The great knight concentrates, thins the wall there enough for the pair to break through. They waste no time, stopping beside Sawamura as they stare upwards at Kuroo's form, towering over them even when on his side.

"We need him to transform back." Yaku rams his staff into the nearest tentacle with enough brute force that Sugawara winces. Kuroo doesn't even twitch. "Technically, we can try to heal him as is, but it's not going to do much. We have to rouse him, then get him to change back."

"I'll set up Sanctuary beneath him if that'll help." Sugawara's own staff is already glowing. Yaku nods, turning to Sawamura.

"I'll lay my Sanctuary over Sugawara-san's. I know you're anchored by the barrier at the moment, but try yelling his name, get him to wake up or something. Given how much he moons over you on a daily basis, there's a good chance he might hear you."

Willing himself not to blush - this isn't the time or place for that - Sawamura nods, and the short grand cleric seizes Sugawara, pulling them over to the far side of Kuroo, out of earshot. It's Yaku's way of giving them privacy, and Sawamura makes a note to thank him later.

For now, he tries moving one hand away from his shield. The barrier thins at this break in focus, and Sawamura pauses, testing its durability. Still thick enough, and the attacking mages outside are too busy dealing with two angry royal parties to focus on tearing down Sawamura's walls. Good then.

He rests his free hand on a tentacle - it's one of the burnt ones, flaking and hard to the touch. Sawamura can't suppress his wince even as a chunk of it crumbles into ash beneath his fingers - he can't imagine how this damage is going to transfer over to Kuroo-the-human, but hopefully, all his limbs will be intact and working.

"Kuroo. Kuroo. _Tetsurou_." The great knight shakes the tentacle as hard as he dares, squeezes and pinches around its circumference. "Tetsurou, hey, sleepyhead. This isn't the time for you to take a nap."

No response. A warmth permeates the enclosed space, and light flickers, swells into a glow from beneath the Malboro's form - the two Sanctuarys from the grand clerics, overlaid. Sawamura wets his lips, tries slapping at the tentacle and the others near it. "Tetsurou. Babe." The endearment sounds odd, almost stilted in his voice - it's Kuroo who usually drops the cutesy nicknames effortlessly in their conversation, calling Sawamura everything from 'dear' to 'darling' to 'snookums'. The great knight's gotten used to hearing them, but it's a new experience to actually hear them coming from his own mouth.

"Tetsurou, dear." His heart does a tiny stutter, fluttering a little faster. Is this how Kuroo feels whenever he calls Sawamura a pet nickname? Is this why he does it? Sawamura feels his face heating up, flushing despite the urgency of the situation. Still, he gamely keeps at it, racking his brain to remember what Kuroo's used on him in the past. "Honey, you're missing out." Where are a Malboro's ears? Does it even _have_ ears? "You always nag that I'm not affectionate enough, and well, here I am, love. Using all the nicknames you probably want to hear from me. Would be a shame if you aren't listening right now."

'Babe' seems the most natural of the selection he's cycled through thus far, and Sawamura settles on that. "Babe, I love you. And you're an absolute idiot for keeping me out of the loop - you know you're going to have to explain all of this much later, right? I'm not going to let you go that easy, but I love you anyway."

The tentacle under his palm twitches; Sawamura squeezes it in encouragement. "Yeah, there we go. Wakey wakey, c'mon babe, don't let Yaku and Suga wait. 'Sides, I really wanna hold you right now, maybe even kiss you, but you've got to be human-sized for that to work. I can't kiss that jaw of yours in this form - too many teeth, and I'd fall in." He chuckles at the imagery, and the Malboro shudders with him. A couple of eye-stalks start to lift, and the great knight waits for them to orient on him, yellow eyeballs blinking down at him as he smiles up at them.

"There you are, babe. S'about time. How about shifting back for me?"

The shift is slow - stuttering and halting rather than seamless. Tentacles retract, regrow, retract until they've finally settled on being a normal set of arms and legs, extensive slashes and burns littered along forearms, torso and most of one thigh. The maw shrinks until they are a pair of lips again and the eyes stalks roll into themselves, becoming a single pair of brown irises in a face bruised heavily down the right side.

Eventually, the enormous mass of plant monster compresses until within the spell lines of the Sanctuarys lay Kuroo-the-human, naked and lying on his side, too exhausted to even shiver after the change.

Sawamura shoots a quick look at the battle beyond his barrier, debates allowing his shield to lapse so he can whip his cloak off and wrap it around raw shoulders, pull Kuroo in close, maybe yell at him a little. He doesn't though - safety is more important than sentiment at the moment, and Sawamura isn't the head of Karasuno's royal party because he is foolish.

He does reduce the size of the barrier, pulls it tighter around the much smaller group now that Kuroo is human-sized again. It allows him to move closer to Kuroo - still outside the boundaries of the Sanctuarys, but closer. The glow lapses a little, one layer of Sanctuary halted and Yaku is sliding towards Kuroo on his knees, already yanking the ornamental layer of his robes off to tuck it around his leader.

Still, Kuroo's head lolls in Sawamura's direction, eyes blinking as slowly as they had been in Malboro form. "You promised," His voice is slurred, words tumbling out in blurry syllables even as Yaku expertly weaves his staff over his battered body. "Something about a kiss."

"Your priorities -" Sawamura inches a little closer, reels in the barrier a little more. It's going to drop soon - he can feel the strain start to burn muscles and spirit. "- never fails to surprise me."

Kuroo's laugh is a wheeze, eyes drooping close as Yaku's Renovatio shimmers over him. Sawamura finally pulls down the barrier, drawing the excess of it back into himself before he scoots over to Kuroo and Yaku. The effects of Sugawara's Sanctuary washes over him too, a feeling of warm wellness as he feels the fatigue from maintaining the barrier start to lift.

Kuroo stays so still, he thinks the shapeshifter's drifted into unconsciousness already. He glances at Yaku, receives a wry nod before reaching out and cradling Kuroo's unbruised cheek, stroking it softly.

"Honeybuns." Oh, not unconscious then. "My kiss. My mouth's small enough now."

Sawamura huffs a laugh. "In front of the kids?" He looks at Yaku again though, who snorts but nods again, before leaning in and dropping a chaste kiss on torn lips, careful not to put too much pressure on where the skin had cracked. 

"You call that a 'kiss'?" Kuroo whines, peeking up through half-open eyelids. "Feeling cheated here."

"That's all you're gonna get until you feel better," Sawamura retorts primly. "So..." he hesitates, but gamely goes for it, " Get better soon, babe."

Kuroo's eyes pop wide open again, and he stares at Sawamura, hands clutching silky material. "You called me 'babe'."

"Don't get too used to it." Sawamura's ears burn, and he furiously wills the embarassment away, even as he attempts to school his expression into the calmest poker face he could muster. Kuroo's delighted chuckle lets him know he isn't particularly successful at either.

A quick glance around tells him that the others are already making a beeline for the Sanctuary's perimeter, but Sawamura reaches for Kuroo's hand anyway, decorum be damned as he allows the shapeshifter to tangle his uninjured fingers with his.

"He called me 'babe," he hears Kuroo mumble in wonder to Yaku as he traces circles into the soft skin of Kuroo's palm, lifting his still-red face to address the approaching men. 

\---

"Shapeshifter hunters."

"Mmm." Kuroo turns his head towards the door Sawamura had pushed open.  "Hello to you too, darling."

"Don't 'darling' me - you know you should have formally given Karasuno a heads-up about the situation." The head of Nekoma is buried under a thick comforter, and the little of him Sawamura could see over the woollen lining is extensively wrapped in clean bandages. The swelling along his cheek had gone down to being merely puffy, but the skin there is still stained in purple-blue hues. "We do have Hinata too, you know. Was that why you were watching us on the road, by the way?"

Kuroo's grin doesn't waver as Sawamura seats himself by the bed. "Mmm, should have, would have, could have. Hinata's so newly manifested I doubt even other shapeshifters know of him. That's's for the best, really - try and keep it that way. Our greatest strength still remains in our obscurity."

"I'll tell him."

"Anyway, Karasuno didn't need a warning." Kuroo's head shifts again to lay flat against the pillow. "Not worth drawing attention to other capitals, especially since Chibi-chan is relatively unknown. Plus, we had intel that this group was on the hunt for me in particular."

"For you?" Sawamura frowns, giving in to the urge to reach out and brush his hand across Kuroo's forehead, pushing his hair off his face. It's shorter, some of its length likely singed off the day before. "How would they have even known you're a shapeshifter?"

"Dunno. Kenma's digging around, putting information together. Amazing how motivated he's been about the whole affair. Mmm, do that again. And again."

Sawamura rolls his eyes, but keeps running his hand through Kuroo's hair, lightly pressing the tips of his fingers against the shapeshifter's scalp as Kuroo groans luxuriously. "So Hinata was never really in danger then?"

"Nope. I just happened to spot you guys on my scout route, and you know how much I enjoy admiring your ass in armor."

"You are incorrigible."

"And you love me anyway." Kuroo tilts his head to give Sawamura access to the back of his neck, moaning as the great knight obligingly kneads the muscles there. "Damn, that feels _amazing_. Where are the others in your escort party, by the way?"

"Back in Karasuno." Kai had offered to accompany the Karasuno escort party as a temporary swap with Sawamura. No one had protested, and Sugawara had sent a message earlier assuring the great knight that they were all safely in their capital with no fuss or fanfare. "I should return soon as well; we're supposed to accompany a diplomatic envoy to Tsubakihara next week, and I’d like to test my new weaponry before then."

"Duty's duty." Kuroo pulls a mournful face. "I'd say we should make our time together count, but I'm afraid Yaku's very sternly banned me from all kinds of vigorous activities until I’m completely recovered. He very explicitly mentioned 'no sex', which I think is a little unfair."

"Dear god."

"I know, right? I mean, sure, my state means we won't be able to pull off some of our more strenuous positions, but surely just lying back and taking -"

" _Tetsurou,_ " Sawamura hisses, mortification immediately blooming up the collar of his tunic to heat his skin. "Oh god, how am I going to face your men later -"

"The same way you always do." Kuroo's eyes are piercing as they search Sawamura's face. “Look, Daichi, I don't know how it is on your end, but all the core members of Nekoma's royal party are aware that their head's pretty much gone for Karasuno's greatest knight. Probably not the smartest thing strategy-wise, but there you have it."

What could he say to that? Burying his head in the blanket, Sawamura groans hopelessly into the soft material. "Honestly, Tetsurou."

"Babe, I'm completely serious." Something brushes against his own short hair - Kuroo's hand. It dips, burrows into the folds of the comforter to cup around Sawamura's chin and raise it back up so he could see Kuroo's face creased in soft fond lines. "Ah, there he is - my handsome knight in shining armor."

Kuroo is a constant assault on his emotions. Sawamura doubts he would have it any other way though. Still, he is supposed to be one of the best in the offensive lines Karasuno could offer - it wouldn't do for Kuroo to constantly be the one sweeping him off his feet.

So he leans in, close enough to feel Kuroo's breath skim his skin and whispers confidentially, "You're the best thing to have happened to me too, babe."

It's Kuroo's turn to flush scarlet now, cheeks splotching pink beneath the kisses Sawamura presses to them before he moves in to capture Kuroo's mouth, teasing at the crease until it parts to give Sawamura access.

"Daichi," Kuroo says faintly when Sawamura finally pulls away, licking his lips, "You wanted a heads up on important matters, right? Once I can move properly, I'm going to march into Karasuno and bang you so hard. _So hard_ , I swear."

"Promises, promises." Sawamura grins, dips right back down for another indulgent kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! (*'♡'*)9 Feedback and constructive comments are greatly appreciated. *bows* 
> 
> My [tumblr's](http://hweiro.tumblr.com/) over here!
> 
> Officially the last fic of the year -also, given the date this is posted on, happy birthday, Daichi! ❤


End file.
